My Top 10 Games of 2023

[@ArloStuff]

MY TOP PINNED COMMENT OF 2023 Go to buyraycon.com/arlo to get 15% off your Raycon purchase this holiday season! Brought to you by Raycon

[@Relcilisity_Official]

Peak

[@quintonconoly]

Ok

[@LuckyBenjamin_]

I feel exactly the same about ToTK only personally I'd put it a little lower in my own list I still havnt finished it and idk how to feel about it

[@maryannappiagyei4277]

Game of year 2023 1. Super Mario Bros.™ Wonder 2. Venba 3. The Legend of Zelda™: Tears of the Kingdom 4. Pikmin 4 5. Street Fighter 6 6. DAVE THE DIVER

[@ItsPripp]

Please pick Sea of Stars back up if you can! its my personal GOTY and it really deserves the indie of the year award!

[@zacharymccoy7091]

I'm surprised it's not just Pikmin 4 ten times.

[@bogonelle]

They said theyd make pikmin 5 if there was list variety

[@prestonandtom9337]

​@@bogonelle...in 20 years

[@Ciccigreen]

It shows remarkable restraint on Arlo’s part, really.

[@MungkaeX]

Nah. Top 9 are Pikmin 4, #10 is clearly Pikmin 1 + 2 Remake.😂

[@StardustWhip]

10. Pikmin 4 title screen 9. The tutorial section of Pikmin 4 8. The Pikmin 4 demo 7. My first play session of Pikmin 4 6. Sunspeckled Terrace in Pikmin 4 5. The final cave of Pikmin 4 4. Hero's Hideaway in Pikmin 4 3. The Pikmin 4 postgame 2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom 1. The credits of Pikmin 4

[@Flac_the_Wave]

Place your bets that Pikmin 4 takes Arlo's number one spot 😄

[@chiquita683]

Nah it was too easy

[@newsoulsam3889]

I'm going all in

[@kirestus]

I think he’s going Zelda or bg as number 1 and pikmen as 2

[@thespeedyyoshi]

Lmao, he even has pikmin 1 and 2 HD in the list 😂😂

[@Whattheflip64]

Oh my gosh 🙄 yuppppppp

[@JordanLittle-bb3yq]

The beginning of this video was incredibly sad. It had everything. Impending doom, a touching farewell, sad music, corporate sponsorship. We should all hope to go out like that someday.

[@Dood11223]

Banger comment. Feel proud

[@LightPink]

Arlo: "great year for gaming" Also Arlo: "half of my top 10 games are remakes"

[@DanGamingFan2406]

I can't believe the Alternate Universe Arlo Saga has come to an end. I have never been so emotionally invested in of moved by an ad read before. Such a beautiful, heartbreaking farewell. Oh, and the video was great too. Pikmin 4 definitely deserves the win.

[@watershipup7101]

Agreed

[@GuiItyUniverse]

How you feel about Pikmin 4 was exactly how I felt about Metroid Dread. I was worried it couldn't meet the once lofty expectations of my favorite Metroid games. And it shattered every expectation I had and set a new bar on a lot of aspects. I'm so happy Pikmin 4 was everything you wanted and more. I hope more people get to feel this way about games. ❤️

[@AmbrosiaPoly-yolkEgg]

meanwhile I'm here feeling dissapointed with Dread feeling more linear and railroady than even Fusion was, it's quieter with the railroading, but, it does have an endless forward push that left me with the "Oh. wait- I've been going in a very straightforward path... no backtracking has happened!" Several hours in, and it just left me wanting for that quiet and and mysterious progression found in Super Metroid and Metroid Prime. It looked like Metroid, it was fun, but, it didn't FEEL like Metroid.

[@red_infinitystone]

It being not cozy at all in the first playthrough, was what made it a great game and cozy in the long run. I run this game every month, and it still is as fun as on the first day.

[@erlandochoa8278]

Dread was interesting but it took like 12 hours to complete, just when the movement started to get really fun the game is just over. Also I wasn’t a fan of the environment, mostly just taking place in some metal lab looking place with basically only robots, but I guess that’s very subjective

[@jaretco6423]

​@AmbrosiaPoly-yolkEgg To be fair, many Metroid games have become linear since Fusion. But not at the point where they were handholding that much compared to the likes of Fusion or something like Other M. Dread isn't nearly on heavy of linearity as Fusion or Other M has. Yes. You are stop and told where to go. But your not really forced to go there immediately. You still can explore on many areas you want and not have to go to that areas immediately until you feel like it. Plus the game is filled with speedruning. So u can take shortcuts and go places you shouldn't be there at that moment. Like the Power Bomb to get before facing Kraid or not encount8mg the first E.M.M.I. So yeah. Dread is sorta linear. But not in the same level as Fusion or Other M and it still has exploration at your will. It does an perfect balanced between progression & exploration. Unlike Fusion or Other M.

[@urm8matt156]

​@@AmbrosiaPoly-yolkEggprime and super weren't my first Metroidvanias so figuring out where to go wasn't much harder than it was in dread

[@vidathan]

Arlo, the absolute best moments of TOTK were the last moments. The story was comforting and fun, but the ending, with the music and scale, cemented it as one of the best experiences I’ve had while gaming.

[@davetoms1]

It's incredibly reassuring hearing Arlo describe his experiences with Zelda: TOTK. I sank over 1000 hours into Breath of the Wild and even got Divine Beast tattoos. That game will always have a place in my heart. And while TOTK is obviously a better game in almost every respect... I haven't finished it yet and I'm disappointed how I don't _feel_ compelled to play it like I do other games.

[@davetoms1]

I hear you but since you don't know me, @@loadishstone , you need to realize you're making a pretty big assumption. And hate to tell you, it's a false assumption at that. I went into TOTK without high expectations. I went in open minded to whatever experience it would give me. I understood it would be a different game with its own reasons to enjoy it. And, like I said, the game simply didn't make me feel compelled to play like many, many other games do.

[@thebadclimber]

I would say that sinking 1000 hours into BOTW probably desensitized you (and most people) to what the new game had to offer. Ultimately, the games are very similar; the combat is basically the same, the enemies, and the way the story is conveyed, etc. TOKT is probably the ultimate experience for someone who just barely scratched BOTW's surface or plainly never played it. For the rest of us, this feeling of "did I just saw everything new the game has to offer?" will kick in pretty early into the playthrough :) @@davetoms1

[@heavydonkeykong5190]

TOTK is my game of the year and even as a huge BOTW stan, I definitely think TOTK beats in just about every way. I haven't put nearly as much time into the game despite that, though. I owe a lot of that to just having a very different gaming mindset than I did back in 2017: I have less free time to play games, but still just as many games as I want to play, so whether I like it or not, I CAN'T endlessly sink myself into games like this anymore for the current moment. I put many hours into TOTK and I enjoyed it just about the whole way through, but unlike BOTW I didn't look back after beating the final boss and am even okay with the lack of DLC. But I think my view of BOTW/TOTK mirrors my view of the Mario Galaxy games. The first Galaxy game I played as a kid had the biggest wow factor I've ever felt from a game, and was not tied until I played BOTW almost a decade later. The second Galaxy game, although just as good if not better, didn't have that wow factor. I cherish the sequel just as much, but it didn't have that "blew me away impact" feeling because I already GOT that from the first game, and the second game was a continuation of that. That's probably how I see TOTK as well: It's a phenomenal game, an easy candidate for being my favorite of all time, and some stuff did indeed blow me away. But the overall package did not, it simply improved upon and continued the game that blew me away before.

[@izaacpitt-gill1825]

Personally, I didn't set my expectations too high. Just seemed like a continuation of BOTW and not something better. Still felt like a slog to finish it despite it having more excitement, more things are happening, and more lively! It's amazing how the world feels more alive! It didn't retain my need to finish the game, so I had to force myself to for a bit. Even with the compelling story, it gives you a major urgency to see what happens and needs to save a specific someone! Could've also been the fact there were also really great games also coming out, which I wanted to play. I am a bit bummed that there won't be a hard mode dlc! That would be cool!

[@chambeet]

BotW>TotK. TotK is still great. But I feel we won’t remember it for decades the way we will its predecessor. That is all.

[@agreedboarart3188]

HiFi Rush is definitely my favorite game of 2023. There really are no words to explain how much it means to me. I really wish it wasn't just shadow dropped. It seems to be painfully overlooked.

[@Kango234]

I agree with this SO MUCH!

[@RJS2003]

It got a good number of nominations at TGA, people have definitely noticed. Sure, it might have only won in one category but it was the one that mattered most and it's just nice to see it get that kind of attention. :)

[@alexterieur8813]

Im sure the sales will pick up after game awards

[@Ghost-ul8eu]

what systems is it on and is it a short game to get into I like action games.

[@tksm97]

@@Ghost-ul8euit’s on PC and xbox, and the main campaign is about 12-15 hours, while 100% completion is about 60 hours!! i HIGHLY recommend it, it’s absolutely fantastic!!

[@RobertIDK]

I love the way you structured this video with the additional segments. Definitely going to check out Born Of Bread to help calm the wait for TTYD remake, but now I’m also resisting the urge to replay demons souls…

[@maximumcringe4117]

Don’t let your KZbin videos stop you from living out your dreams Bo!

[@supermariocal8660]

Yo, robert!

[@the.pikmin]

i love your content your one of my favorite youtubers even if you dont see this

[@PepeMetallero]

I have been replying Bloodborne...

[@Rubberman202]

Born of Bread is definitely a fun time, if you like classic Paper Mario!

[@joewii2458]

Metroid Prime Remastered was a great surprise, but Hi Fi Rush was the best shadow drop of all time, let alone of 2023

[@aidanwalker8142]

Agreed. Kinda sad to see it isn’t mentioned as often nowadays. 100% my personal game of the year

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

The way you can tell the Arlos outright bonded over the Raycon sponsorships... Makes me wonder if this is the last of Raycon or of we'll get a season 2 with a new narrative. Arlo refining J. P. Beaubien's methods.

[@rutgerniemeijer]

This was season 2 right? The other season is the one he gas a playlist of.

[@thespeedyyoshi]

@@rutgerniemeijer yeah, season 2 started after “the great mending” which seems like this video is closing off. So the next might be the finale of season two ^^

[@rutgerniemeijer]

@@thespeedyyoshi Yeah, I didn't know how to call it without spoilers, but "The Great Mending" does the job.

[@mellow8176]

i think next would be season four or so haha

[@jacobmonks3722]

Sea of Stars is my favorite this year, despite some tough competition. I was immediately captivated by the visuals and music and the world, and the combat kept me engaged from start to finish and even through the post-game. I was never bored with the battles because the interactivity and variety gave me a lot of stuff to experiment with. It also had a surprisingly touching story that, while very simple, was rather charming and funny at times. It also handles exploration and environmental interaction better than basically every 2D RPG I can think of with some absolutely incredible dungeons.

[@nicknelson1975]

I'm kinda bummed about Sea of Stars. It's not grabbing me like Chained Echoes. I think my biggest issue is that there is some level scaling going on and the combat mechanics are at odds with eachother. They encourage you to use MP if you have it. But you actually need to hang onto it incase there are Locks to break.

[@undefender]

Oh my god I can’t believe Arlo’s number 1 game this year was his IRS tax form!

[@Nintendofan91]

“Filling up on the meal” in reference to TotK is exactly how I’ve felt about it for the last couple months. It’s almost like a sensory overload and you need to take a break, which is saying something after the beast that BotW was.

[@facilityhues]

I agree! That and just life gets in the way. I am so excited to jump back into the game after a wee break

[@DirectorOfChaos9292]

Only shame is no DLC this time around. So no rounding out the hearts or stamina wheel, no master sword trials, no master mode, etc.

[@facilityhues]

@@DirectorOfChaos9292 Yeah that one stings. I know why but like dang there are some questions I guess we will never get answers to

[@selfaware7617]

I had one reason to put down the game and it was that you need to cook and spam gloom recovery meals to beat it. Otherwise it seems like you need a 99 percent parry rate. Might be a skill issue but I couldn't avoid taking gloom damage no matter how hard I tried

[@ShaunRF]

@@selfaware7617 You definitely don't need spam gloom meals to beat it.

[@ephy9590]

I think I partly found this channel because I loved Pikmin so much and I needed to be near someone who loved Pikmin as much as me. I played this video 99% certain I knew what the #1 was...and was pleasantly correct! Thank you for sharing your passion in such an intelligent way. Pikmin 4 was such an important positive to a hectic summer for me and it's just chilling next to the other Pikmin games in my heart. It was worth the wait. It was everything we deserved. And it feels good to come to Arlo's channel every once in a while and keep celebrating it. ONTO PIKMIN 5!!!!! See you again in 50 years for that one.

[@kingofplayer2]

I'm so hyped for Arlo to hopefully actually for real play those games. Octopath 2 was my personal game of the year, but I feel wanting to play and finish so many other games

[@alexterieur8813]

I dont play a lot of new games every year but Octopath 2 is definitely my favourite game that came out this year. A solid 9.5/10 for me!

[@cakeyeater7392]

Arlo and I have very different experiences with TotK. Maybe it's just that it's only my second Zelda game (BotW was my first), but I sank more hours and was far more invested in seeing everything through than the first. I actually got *all* the light roots, shrines, and depths cosmetics. I did the whole story, and I would gladly play DLC or a second run

[@No-by7wu]

I’ve been a Zelda fan for a while, but I had the same experience with totk. I really liked botw, but totk hit me in a way another video game ever has

[@WeeLassReacts]

I'm a long time zelda fan, and I feel the same as Arlo. I was actually annoyed the game made me redo all of Hyrule, the lack of any new villages or anything really other than caves... all the stables were the same, in the same places, the horses were the same, the layout of hyrule was the same, the villages and characters all the same, and then the new area the depths was fun for the first few hours, then you realise it's literally just ctrl + c and ctrl + v for the entirty of the depths map. Even the Sky islands get really reptitive, they all look the same. The game had mostly the same outfits, which we had to get again, upgrade again. I plugged in 210 hours and completed it, but there wasnt enough new stuff in it for me to go back too. I expected some of the stables to be upgraded into mini villages, maybe Rito and such had created new settlements... or new Hyrule settlements. I just expected more NEW stuff. This is just all my opinion tho, I am really gld other people managed to enjoy it, for me it just felt like 70 quid for a Version 2.0 Breath of the Wild.

[@cakeyeater7392]

@@WeeLassReacts my conclusion from all of this is that people who played through all of BotW got burned out by the time ToTK came out, and essentially invalidated everything they did, while those of us who enjoyed BotW, but didn't really complete it were invigorated by all the new additions that made the act of actually completing the game more enjoyable.

[@WeeLassReacts]

@@cakeyeater7392 For me and Arlo I defo think this conclusion makes sense. If I hadn't played or completed Breath of the Wild I would have LOVED Tears of the Kingdom. But I just felt like I was playing the same game all over again with a couple of new additons.

[@jaretco6423]

As an massive Kirby & Metroid fan, I'm super happy. These franchise has been having an heck of an career. We got Forgotten Land and Dread that turn out amazing. And now we have remasters of Return to Dreamland and Prime on the Switch that turn out incredible. Things has looking bright for these two franchise.

[@RichardLearnsGames]

Arlo: The only channel I watch that I don't skip the ad read.

[@Nagira_Kannazuki]

Same here

[@zeldabaum2663]

Him and Internet historian for me

[@gleam6370]

The ass kissing is insane

[@ApertureScienceInnovatorsRepre]

Caddicarus too

[@YouTubeChannel-iq5to]

Sheep

[@maxaustinlewissilly]

Such a shame Jedi survivor’s reputation was ruined by the glitchy launch. I played it a couple months later, and it has been one of my favorite gaming experiences ever.

[@bibliofowl]

I absolutely LOVED Sea of Stars. Definitely my favorite game of the year. The characters, the story, the visuals, the traversal, the combat, GARL. It's absolutely perfect. I nearly got the platinum trophy, which is rare for me. That led to me playing The Messenger (the first retro inspired game from this studio), which is also great.

[@nathangordon2302]

I got to play the original two pikmin game for the first time thanks to the release this year. Pikmin 1 is a masterpiece and I’m so glad I got to experience it

[@firebal6129]

That’s a weird way of spelling 2 🤔. (Nah jk, that’s fair tbh)

[@jameslawrenson1208]

Let Arlo know he didn't finish the stream playthrough of Pikmin 2.

[@smartboy201]

I legitimately feel like I would've been completely content and accepting if Arlo got to Number 1 and just showed a massive clip-montage, coming in every once in a while and just saying "... Yeah... _sighs wistfully_ ...... Yeah..."

[@aws-107]

Really thought baldurs gate would’ve been in your list of “I would have liked it if I played it” based on what you said in streams- really hope you get a chance to check it out someday! It took a little bit for me to understand it but once it clicked… man, what a truly special experience.

[@clementineshetheyfae8312]

This list is exactly why I advocate for people to make remakes and remasters a secondary part of their top whatever of the years. It’s really disappointing to have almost half of a top ten list just being remakes and remasters even though they deserve it

[@TheFixer-rq9tj]

Exact same reaction regarding TOTK. Incredible at first but then... feeling like there is not worth sinking hours into this. Leaving the game for a couple of months and then picking it back up just to finish it and see how the story ends. In the end I was asking myself: "Am I playing or working right now?"

[@brandonquist8394]

It felt more like BotW Remake, and that just didn't stick with me. Too much felt tacked-on, especially the story. Honestly, I sometimes felt like it wanted me to forget it was a sequel to another game.

[@NrettG]

I don't know how I still sunk 50 hours into it though. TOTK is such a weird vibe of a game because I agree with everything you said. Like the story is FANTASTIC and going through the dragon's tears to the end and see the big sacrifice made me cry HARD. Yet I just didn't like still pushing forward with the main objectives. The parts I really hated were the Temples because man except for the fire temple, they just sucked. Just very boring and had VERY bad hardware slowdowns during those sections. Haven't even seen the ending to the game yet because although I'm at hyrule castle going in the order they want me to (which is VERY dumb because why can't I skip to ganon again?). I had more fun doing the side quests and opening more of the map than actually playing the game they want me to do.

[@someuser9168]

Same but haven't picked it back up after months

[@danieljones1930]

I am being completely honest when I say Pikmin 4 is also my game of the year. It’s not even a competition. I have already played that game all the way through 5 times. I have put at least a couple hundred hours into it. No other game has come close to usurping it from my top spot. So, thank you, Arlo, for convincing me to buy such a wonderful game!

[@NS-RPG]

Tears of the Kingdom has the best ending of the franchise, curious to see how you feel about it when you're done.

[@biggarlick6673]

the last boss was really good, but the ending itself was only okay in my opinion, i felt sort of like the story overall wasn't great actually?

[@NS-RPG]

@@biggarlick6673 the bar is not that high when it comes to the main story in the Zelda franchise. This one felt like the stakes were higher.

[@Nintendofan91]

I 100% completed this game on my first playthrough and I’m so glad I did. It was an incredible experience. Every time I thought I’d reached the end, it just kept going. I loved finding every creature, rescuing every character, and unlocking all of Oatchi’s abilities. The night expeditions were also SO much fun.

[@XYO-og5kj]

Which one?

[@Nintendofan91]

@@XYO-og5kj Pikmin 4

[@yveltalpoderoso1303]

@@XYO-og5kjpikmin 4

[@increbidel4685]

@@XYO-og5kjI think he’s talking about Pikmin considering he mentioned oatchi

[@omerbar7518]

I really agree with his take about TotK. It was still my favorite game this year, but something was indeed missing from the experience as a whole, especially compared to BotW.

[@garretdrake2347]

you're right: it was missing Kass. we'll never forget you, kass.

[@icepick117]

worst game i ever spent 200 hours in lmao

[@matthewmuir8884]

I think that was almost inevitable; TotK was born from the Zelda team having too many ideas for BotW DLC, much like Mario Galaxy 2 was originally supposed to be an expansion pack for Mario Galaxy 1. It was always going to be more of an expansion-pack sequel.

[@quibquiberton4184]

​@@matthewmuir8884I thought Mario Galaxy 2 felt like a cohesive experience, that improved upon the gameplay of Galaxy 1. TotK feels more like a disc 2 of a double album.

[@brandonquist8394]

@@quibquiberton4184 And all the tracks are disc 1 remixes.

[@ZackRappMusic]

You know what's the best compliment I can give to Arlo? I have no desire to skip your ad segments. Literally, just you, saying stuff, is funny. Carry on.

[@SuperSireBoyYT]

Hi Fi Rush is 100% on my list, what a surprise that game is! I finished the game and was just blown away, it was incredible

[@staxdeadempress]

I feel similarly about TotK. I got exceptionally burnt out, and the way the out-of-order story beats were revealed took all the wind out of my sails. Haven't finished it either

[@quibquiberton4184]

The way the story was structured was a mess. It always felt like I was playing the game out of order.

[@ardenenglish8736]

Guess before I watch it: - Pikmin 4 - Pikmin 4 - Pikmin 4 - Pikmin 4 - Metroid Prime Remastered - Pikmin 4 - Mario Wonder - Tears of the Kingdom - Pikmin 4 - Pikmin 4

[@AdventureBlur]

Dunno why, but seeing Arlo find a Sonic game that makes him happy makes me happy.

[@EXCLMaker]

I've heard Cocoon turned out really good which was also made by a dev who used to be part of Playdead. I was also disappointed by Somerville so I was skeptical about it, but almost all the reception for Cocoon seems to be extremely positive.

[@thisisfyne]

I was also very disappointed by Somerville. Gorgeous artstyle, but the gameplay was extremely clunky. Can't wait to try Cocoon tho!

[@waffling0]

Cocoon is excellent! Lovely puzzle design, beautiful visuals, and it's relatively short, which makes it a great game to play over a weekend

[@AaronBowley]

cocoon is absolutely wonderful , might be my favorite game of the year

[@FrahdChikun]

As a huge fan of LIMBO and INSIDE, I've been waiting for that game to come out since it was first announced at the VGA 2021. I'm very happy it won best indie debut this year!

[@CJT2]

That’s actually very normal for Kirby games to have an extra mode where you play as a different character in a mini campaign. The most common one is Metanight, but sometimes they do king dedede or some curve balls.

[@h_works2965]

I have a ton of games I wanted to play this year that I still need to, (including pretty much every Pikmin game bar 1) but there were some absolutely incredible games that came out this year and I have several that didn’t come out this year that I also loved. 1) Baldur’s Gate 3 - As someone who has always wanted to play Dungeons and Dragons, this game absolutely captured my imagination. A rich world with loveable characters and an array of nuanced ways to interact with the world. So much exploration, customisation and role playing without compromising on the writing quality. This game blew me away. 2) Armored Core VI - I got into this because of FromSoft’s pedigree from Souls and I now thoroughly believe this series deserves to to talked about just as much as their flagship. Fast, frantic and hugely customisable action in a surprisingly nuanced story. If BG3 thrived in immersion, this game’s mission structure makes it feel gamey in the best way. 3) Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed - Yeah it’s a DLC but screw it I’m counting it. This was an absolute love letter to the entire Xenoblade series that made some really smart changes to 3’s gameplay. I put a whole 30 hours into 100%ing this and loved every moment of it. It cemented Xenoblade 3 as my favourite in the series. 4) Tears of the Kingdom - Like you I don’t quite know where I land with this one. It’s a fantastic expansion on BOTW and every time I pick it up to play it, I do adore the experience. But this definitely fatigued me more than the first one and I didn’t feel as compelled to keep playing. There’s still some stuff I need to go back and do before I pin down my thoughts. But it was a wonderful experience all the same. 5) Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Yep. Agree with everything you said. A colourful, endlessly charming 2D platformer that injects so much life and colour back into Mario’s formula. Easily the best 2D Mario since World, maybe even better than it. 6) Hi Fi Rush - An accessible yet challenging action game with a incredibly novel rhythm mechanic and some of the most slick and stylish presentation I’ve seen in ages. I really hope as many people as possible play this. 7) Arches - I’m not even sure if this counts as a game. as it’s a very small scale, almost entirely linear horror visual novel, but I had to include it. It’s a sequel story to Echo, one of my favourite indie games, following two new characters facing in their inner demons in the first game’s setting. It’s very short but the horror and character writing is absolutely stunning. Older audiences only though as there’s some triggering stuff here. 8) Sonic Superstars - I really liked this one. Love how colourful and expressive the style is. The levels are a blast, and it continues Mania’s rock solid foundations really well. I think my only problem is the difficulty spikes near the end (not even Sonic 2 or Unleashed’s endgames were this punishing). It’s not quite the dream vision of Mania 2 but it’s REALLY close (love the shoutout to Geek Critique btw). 9) Final Fantasy XVI - This one’s kinda polarising but it’s a mixture of genres that really appeal to me. You’ve got a big immersive JRPG fantasy world mixed with the streamlined, structure of an action game. Lots of exciting battles with a pretty layered combat system and some of the most stunning boss fights I’ve seen in a game. Biggest problem is that the pacing is a mess, it’s way, way too long for what it is. But I still really enjoyed it. Clive is best boy. 10) Sea of Stars - A visually gorgeous blend of Mario RPG and Chrono Trigger that scratches that classic turn based RPG itch. The only reason I don’t rank it higher is that it can feel a little too derivative in some aspects, and the story and characters are a little weak for an RPG. But still excellent. Some of my other favourite older releases I played were Bloodborne (now one of my top 10 all time favourites), Silent Hill 2 (finally), Signalis (which I still can’t stop thinking about) Fire Emblem Path of Radiance (which sucked me in after being put off by Engage), and Spark the Electric Jester 3 (legit one of the best 3D platformers I’ve ever played). There are others I want to get to. Alan Wake 2 has intrigued me enough that I want to try the original as well as Control. I plan to play Spider Man 2 closer to Christmas. Pikmin 4 looks incredible. And I wanna play the Mario RPG remake after recently playing the original and really liking it. God there were a TON of stellar games this year. But yeah, another great video and really solid list!

[@nullzilchzero]

I can honestly say that pikmin 4 was also my #1 game this year, which took me completely off guard. I’ve never played a pikmin game before and there was just something about this game that had me playing nonstop for hours and hours, definitely one of my top games for the switch as a whole.

[@BloodbornePC1279]

Something I always look forward to at the end of the year is seeing all the best/worst games lists

[@thesquishedelf1301]

16:40 Hang on, that's how you're supposed to solve that one?!?!

[@spongyoshi]

Pizza Tower was DEFINITELY my game of the year 😅 It did beat WarioWare: Move It!! which is a sequel to one of my favorite Wii titles and Super Mario Bros Wonder which is my favorite main 2D Mario since World so it means a lot!

[@TheGreatSammyJack]

21:00 Whats nice about Super Mario RPG is that i managed to conplete everything in the game in 15 hours. Its impressive how such a short game maintains such engagement and still respects my time.

[@SkyFellowship]

My personal top 10 Zelda TOTK 10/10 Alan Wake 2 10/10 Baldur's Gate 3 9.5/10 Resident Evil 4 Remake 9.5/10 Spider Man 2 9/10 Dredge 8.5/10 Dead Space Remake 8.5/10 Mortal Kombat 1 8.5/10 Street Fighter 6 8.5/10 (Potentially Asgard's Wrath 2 as that game looks fucking hype and I'm saving slot 10 for it as it's out this week) Runners up Starfield Diablo IV Hi Fi Rush Octopath Traveller 2

[@Wario_Guy]

Is it just me or are the raycon sponsorships the most underrated thing ever

[@ThorKillian]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🎙️ *Intro and Raycon Advertisement* - Raycon advertisement during the intro of the video. - Raycon offers premium tech at great prices, emphasizing their earbuds, cables, and chargers with a holiday discount. - Features and benefits of Raycon products highlighted. 01:58 🎮 *Top 10 Games Overview* - Overview of the speaker's top 10 games of 2023. - Mentions the exceptional year for games and the speaker's limited playtime. - Introduces the list, promises honorable mentions, and cheats for the selection. 02:14 🌟 *Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe* - Positive review of Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe. - Highlights the game's solid level design, delightful presentation, and fun story. - Praises the Magolor epilogue for addressing control issues and offering enjoyable gameplay. 04:19 🦔 *Sonic Superstars Review* - Review of Sonic Superstars, noting its blend of modern and classic Sonic elements. - Emphasizes details in visuals, level design, mechanics, and character expressions. - Addresses the speaker's genuine appreciation despite mixed reception and sponsorship concerns. 06:11 🌿 *Nintendo's HD Pikmin Collection* - Discusses the release of the HD Pikmin Collection on Switch in 2023. - Expresses satisfaction that Nintendo made legacy titles accessible and updated controls. - Mentions personal streaming experiences with Pikmin games. 07:20 👓 *Puzzling Places VR Experience* - Highlights the VR game "Puzzling Places" as a standout experience. - Describes the game as a 3D jigsaw puzzle with immersive motion controls. - Emphasizes its calming and visually stunning aspects amidst a stressful year. 08:52 🚀 *Metroid Prime Switch Remaster* - Excitement over the surprise release of the Metroid Prime remaster on Switch. - Praises the faithful recreation of assets and controls, calling it a top-tier experience. - Expresses admiration for the series and the impact of this release on Metroid fans. 10:02 🍄 *Super Mario Brothers Wonder* - Reviews Super Mario Brothers Wonder as a standout 2D Mario game. - Commends its visual style, the wonder mechanic, and overall delightful surprises. - Acknowledges the game's level of challenge and discusses the badge system. 11:39 🔫 *Resident Evil 4 Remake* - Praises the Resident Evil 4 remake as a significant improvement over the original. - Highlights enhancements in pacing, level design, and new gameplay elements. - Expresses appreciation for the game's refinement and its impact on the Resident Evil series. 13:21 ⚔️ *Demon Souls Experience* - Details the experience of playing Demon Souls and falling in love with it. - Discusses initial challenges and eventual deep immersion in the game. - Expresses reluctance to let go of the game even after multiple playthroughs. 15:21 🏞️ *Tears of the Kingdom* - Provides an initial impression of Tears of the Kingdom, praising its foundation on Breath of the Wild. - Expresses a mixed sentiment about the game's depth and longevity. - Acknowledges the game's potential and places it high on the list despite uncertainties. 16:59 🌟 *Pikmin 4 Release & Review* - Celebrates the release of Pikmin 4 and its positive reception. - Recognizes the game's improvements, vast content, and the balance between old and new. - Declares Pikmin 4 as the game of the year for the speaker. 19:38 🏆 *Honorable Mentions and Disappointments* - Lists honorable mentions of games like Sea of Stars, Octopath Traveler 2, Born of Bread, Lies of Peace, and Blasphemous 2. - Shares personal disappointments with Somerville and Starfield. - Encourages viewers to share their favorite games in the comments. Made with HARPA AI

[@BrendanJSmith]

I REALLY hope Arlo gets to play Mario RPG as soon as possible. It's right up his alley and I would love so much to just hear him gush about all the weird characters and funny moments.

[@mattb6522]

I didn't get a chance to play all the games I wanted to, but Super Mario Bros Wonder and Pikmin 4 were my personal favorites. They both felt like great modern classics of established franchises. They were my "comfort gaming" and I enjoyed my time with them. Though, they both had a very similar problem in that they were both way too easy and lacked a lot of really good boss fights. 😅

[@2CPhoenix]

Octopath 2 FLOORED me this year, the new bar for turn-based RPGs. Incredibly fun abilities to mix and match, challenges that will make you grit your teeth even at max level, and god those visuals and songs, how that game slipped past literally everyone is a tragedy.

[@mcedeias7788]

While I haven't finished it yet, I can confidently say Sea of Stars is my #1 this year. I love the graphics (and wish more games would dare to use that artstyle), and I can't count how many times the story or npcs have made me laugh or chuckle. The gameplay is also fun, and I love the characters.

[@qtacontessenu]

My top 3 this year were TOTK, Baldur's Gate 3 and Hogwarts Legacy but I've been playing Pikmin 4 (my first pikmin game) these past few weeks and been having a blast too :')

[@shadowoflugia]

I played my first Zelda game, BotW, this year. And then TotK. I love both games, but TotK literally just sucked me right into it. Although I think I would’ve continued playing BotW past beating Ganon if TotK hadn’t come out. I finally found the final 0.05% I needed to complete the TotK map a couple days ago, and I was STILL playing it today!

[@thajocoth]

Good list! My top two games this year are Pikmin 4 & Tears of the Kingdom, in no particular order.

[@DynamicSheep]

Bro. The ending of TOTK is my favorite Zelda ending... which was huge since the ending of BOTW was so weak IMO. You've gotta finish TOTK!

[@themoviecritic1092]

I'm ending my night watching this video and I couldn't have had it any other way. I know the year for you has been a hectic one so the fact that you even have a list for this year is great. It's always a joy seeing you happy about games and I do hope you will be able to play games that come out next year for the next list. You're great and anyone who doesn't seem to see that is well... dumb I guess, lol. Thanks for making my night

[@sleeping_dragon]

same

[@thekiss2083]

I don't think TOTK should be in the running for "pinnacle of the series" if it felt like a chore to finish, for you or for many other people (including me). It's okay to admit Ultrahand was an amazing mechanic that elevated a pretty by-the-book sequel with another lukewarm story

[@clap2973]

I have to agree on tears of the kingdom. While special it very much came and went for me. That…and Baldurs Gate 3 came out this year. I went from “Nah..looks a little too complicated for me, I’ll pass.” to starting my 10th playthrough with-…I was writing this as he told me to comment why it’s my favorite game. But anyway- its world is magical, literally. I’ve never seen a more reactive world. Every. Single. Little. Detail was planned out. Sure it’s not perfect, but you can’t beat art crafted with love. Pikmin.

[@themoviecritic1092]

I don't think in Arlo's case it came and went, as he hasn't finished the game yet due to time. I'm basically the same way, I love TotK but there's been so much stuff happening in life that I haven't been able to just sit down and play it. I was able to play BotW because I played it during the pandemic, where time was basically nonexistent. Now that I do have some time, though, I will definitely spend it on playing TotK and finally seeing how it ends.

[@rmzing]

This was a very Arlo list. I don't care though; I love hearing Arlo talk about his favorite games

[@SonNeoKaku]

Your number 1 pick made me go 😮 like a Pikachu! But seriously, what a good year for Pikmin fans, I'm so happy for all of you ❤

[@Anadarksoul1701]

I love that Arlo resolve the Raycon ad arc. Was waiting for the follow up to that ad so happy to finally see it.

[@lckaboom6810]

My GOTY is Lies of P. Super underrated game.

[@zerrot5302]

I’m on the fence between that or Lords of the Fallen

[@aturchomicz821]

Its a murder simulator 🙄🙄

[@zerrot5302]

@@aturchomicz821 with tons of praise and high scores across the board regardless of how much you seethe about it.

[@TomJoe-ep8jv]

@@zerrot5302it’s good, but it doesn’t have goty level scores

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

Metroid had to be rebuilt completely for the switch. Apparently it was a real struggle getting things like the heat vision working on the switch. It's not just an overlay like on the GameCube

[@StrikerSML]

Pikmin 4 was the only 1st party nintendo game this year that really engaged me for a while. Wonder was fun but I was done with it in less than a week (I didn't beat it tho). Tears had a beautiful intro but again I was done in like a week. Pikmin 4 held me for a few weeks.

[@okayemjay]

My favorite this year was TotK, of course. BotW was what really got me into gaming when I was in middle school. BotW is my favorite game ever, and TotK was everything I hoped the sequel would be. Just returning to that world again, seeing the NPCs once more. It was a magical experience that I don’t think any other game could possibly recreate.

[@CitrusArchitect]

Born of Bread is great but mayyyybe wait a little bit for them to patch out some of its issues, there's some softlocks right now. That being said, I do recommend it!! It has different strengths than bug fables, I'd say the visuals are the absolute best part, but both definitely worth experiencing!

[@paperhatinc5641]

16:36 We just said, out loud, after all this time since the games release '*that's* how you're supposed to solve that puzzle?!'

[@Skywolve1998]

Parrys are certainly an important part of Lies of P, but so is regular blocking, and moving down of the way of attacks, and dodging through things. I think the game is most approachable when you consider all your options, since none of them are one size fits all. In fact, my greatest struggles in the game probably came from a place of trying to force myself to parry more than felt comfortable.

[@thisisfyne]

That's the thing though, the game in its gameplay never makes a statement regarding what option is ideal in which situation, and it makes is super hard to develop good reflexes and muscle memory to git gud. In the souls games, you roll or block. In Bloodborne, you dodge like a maniac and parry. In Sekiro, you parry like a madman and jump. But in Lies of P? Too many options at all times. This, mixed with the very convoluted, frantic, and unpredictable second phases of bosses makes for a very frustrating experience that should have been streamlined some more imo. This game was a rollercoaster of ups and downs for me. Nearing the end I thought I would leave on a high note with Laxasia phase 1, but when phase 2 kicked in the usual bs kicked in high gear and I just thought to myself "oh boi just more random unfair shiet again..." and that pretty much sums up my experience with the game. The final boss was the same, if not worse. And it's not even worth mentioning the very linear and "blocky" level design that ranged from okay to cool to just risible at times, and the very uninspired common enemies designs. That's an ok 7/10 game for me, but I couldn't finish a second playthrough. Just too tedious an annoying.

[@DaHman1112]

I find it incredible that this guy was able to create a giant story over multiple years out of a ad for headphones that’s incredible. I’m not sure if this is the end but if it is, that’s funny.

[@jackthegenius7483]

Hey Arlo! Definitely check out Hi-fi Rush if you get the chance! Personally, it's easily my favorite game of 2023.

[@j.jsamra]

December is the best month cause of all the end of year videos we get from Arlo

[@Isaac_Essa]

Honestly I was surprised about your thoughts on TOTK, I personally thought it was better than BOTW in basically every way, and it’s easily my favorite game ever. I definitely respect that opinion though, and also as a longtime Pikmin fan, im always down for a PIKMIN 4 SWEEP BABYYYY

[@tetermc]

I mean, it's better but in the same sense that a pepperoni pizza is "better" than cheese. It's the same thing but with a new ingredient. 6 years we waited to get the same enemies, music, map, structure, 4 dungeons, lame rewards, crap quests, etc. Sorry but 6 years for what we got is ridiculously lazy.

[@themoviecritic1092]

​@@tetermceh

[@Isaac_Essa]

@@tetermc I definitely get if people aren’t a big fan, but acting like it’s a lazy game is crazy imo. At it’s heart it’s the same, but there are so many new mechanics, and the way they expanded and reshaped the world is huge. Either way, it’s just a game, and you’re fully entitled to your opinion 👍

[@wildbard4112]

​@@tetermcMan heard the same towns had the same music and saw that the game reused enemies and declared it lazy. It's not necessary for them to scrap everything and start from scratch. Reusing assets is ok. And the quests were actually very good.

[@samuelstone3173]

Exactly. with that same argument we could call majora's mask lazy but im not gonna do that lol. Majora's mask is one of my favorite games of all time and it reuses almost every sinlge asset from Oot. Totk and Majora's mask are both amazing games and amazing sequels that are both better then their respective predecessors in my opinion@@wildbard4112

[@ChilledOutEvan]

Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty was probably my GotY, even if it was just dlc. The narrative and gameplay is so good. Other than that, TotK was my favorite new game.

[@davemeech]

Oh man, another comment. I'm very much resonating with your sentiments on Tears of the Kingdom. I haven't finished it either, for a lot of the same reasons. Additionally for me, I found the temples to be even further of a departure away from what I was hoping for. I understand they focused a lot more on verticality and the journey to the temple as a part of the temple experience. But once you got there, it was just an underwhelming cycle of finding a few switches and fighting the boss. Unlocking all of the same stuff but with more drag and fetch quests was frustrating too.

[@thisisfyne]

Agreed.

[@phoniex6157]

I love how half the list is just remasters or remakes lol. Still good picks

[@veryconcerned9561]

The arloverse expands once more

[@goofygamerboy88]

Super glad to see Puzzling Places get a mention on your list. It's not at all what would be "normal" GOTY contender material but like you said it's just so pleasant and wholesome. I spent wayyy too much time playing and replaying the limited demo before finally allowing myself to buy it. Fantastic experience for sure. Also, if you're worried about Lies of P, I'd suggest checking out Joseph Anderson's critique/review of it. It's a bit spoilery - and I know how Arlos feel about spoilers so I wanted to mention this upfront - but he makes a good point of how flexible the combat actually is and doesn't require getting good at the parrying.

[@RedstoneBros]

Alan Wake 2 is special. There's no game remotely like it but it is a lot like Twin Peaks, which is great too. I wish that Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon had been a bit more like classic AC and less like 4 but the story and bosses are the best in the series IMO.

[@bowmancollar3684]

You know its a good year for Arlo when he can put 2 Pikmin entrees in the same year.

[@nicksanchez8294]

Love your list! My top game was Advance Wars 1+2, followed by Fire Emblem Engage, Armored Core 6, Street Fighter 6, Mario Wonder, and Goodbye Volcano High. Great stuff this year.

[@zelatoth]

Tears of the Kingdom is my GOTY. I put around 150 hours into BOTW with the DLC and that took like 2 years, I'd pick it back when I was bored. I put 210 hours into TOTK within 2 to 3 weeks, got all the shines and light roots, Got enough Koroks to fully upgrade my inventory and did most of the side quests (I only had like 3 left and they didn't seem all that fun). Any excuse I could make to just keep playing. I also beat the game in like 3 days after sacrificing sleep and only having meal supplements for breakfast, lunch and diner.

[@Nintendofan91]

Wow this is the earliest I’ve ever been to an Arlo video

[@StuieHunter]

Tears of the Kingdom is one of those ones where objectively its excellent.....and yet, it didn't awaken any deep love in me either.

[@thisisfyne]

Objectively it's a complete rehash of BOTW, with a few things better, but a lot of things far worse.

[@thisisfyne]

@@loadishstone You are entitled to your opinion, just as I am. Sure the physics were impressive, nobody's denying that. But too many things about that game either 1) we had already done / collected in BOTW or 2) just didn't work for me. Some did.. but as a whole? Not really. That's all.

[@ianeons9278]

Here are my GOTYs over the years: 2023 - Pikmin 4 2022 - 2021 - 2020 - 2019 - Mario Maker 2 2018 - RDR2 2017 - Breath of the Wild or Mario Odyssey (Tie) 2016 - Forza Horizon 3 2015 - Splatoon 2014 - Mario Kart 8 or Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (Tie) 2013 - Pikmin 3 or GTA V (Tie) 2012 - Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two 2011 - 2010 - RDR1 or Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Tie) 2009 - Minecraft 2008 - GTA IV 2007 - Super Mario Galaxy or The Orange Box (Tie) 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - Pikmin 2, GTA San Andreas, Half-Life 2 (Tie) 2003 - 2002 - Super Mario Sunshine or GTA Vice City (Tie) 2001 - Pikmin

[@sabelaine6044]

Great list Arlo, absolutely love that you got into Demons Souls!

[@justdaffy]

Me too but uh didn't the remake come out in 2020 not 2023?

[@heavydonkeykong5190]

The Souls games are something I so, totally wish I could enjoy, but I just don't have it in me to get over that learning curve. I'm super interested in the story and lore (Especially Elden Ring) and I know the games are objectively great, but I'm just not good enough at them nor do I really have the patience or time these days. I definitely love reading up on them and watching them, though. It's really just the skill issue that's keeping me from sinking my teeth into them myself.

[@sabelaine6044]

@@heavydonkeykong5190 Elden Ring is pretty accessible id say. If you want an easy time follow a caster build guide and summon helpers and a lot of challenging content can be trivialized.

[@superdankawesomeunikornguy]

I’m so happy to see so many people enjoying Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe. The OG on Wii has been my favorite Kirby game, and one of my favorite games in general, for a very long time. I’m glad to see it get such an amazing remake and to see so many people enjoying it.

[@nessleepk]

Yes my GOTY is BG3, I grew up playing CRPGs and my uncle bought me BG2 when it came out. I also do prefer turn based combat so BG3 is actually my favorite of the series. Runner ups would be Street Fighter 6, Hi-Fi Rush, and Blood Bowl 3. Unfortunately I barely played my Switch this year and actually misplaced it for about 4-5 months until a few days ago.

[@Zerolink30]

22:33 As someone who just played Sommerville, i too felt that disappointment. But i played Cocoon and World of Lana, and they filled that Limbo/Inside hole in my heart. And Cocoon was made by someone from the Limbo/Inside team, a level designer i think?

[@EmersonFlemingEmRock13]

I haven't played a lot of the heavy hitters this year but this is my personal top 5: #1. Cocoon. PLAY THIS NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, it's a 2-3 hour game and is just such an amazing, atmospheric puzzler. Wowed me from start to finish. #2. Metroid Prime Remastered. Now I get why everyone loves this game, maybe the most immersive game I've ever played. #3. Mario Wonder. Such a creative and fun game, just leaves me laughing and grinning whenever I play it. Such a fun multiplayer game too. #4. Tears of the Kingdom. An undeniably fantastic game, but personally was a little disappointed (for context BOTW is my favorite game ever). Kind of like what Arlo said, while it does add so much the reused Hyrule was incredibly grading after a bit. If the content was better dispersed across the depths/sky a little more then I don't think it would've bugged me as much, but as is I think it's a more refined Breath of the Wild, but the wanderlust is really lacking and thus it didn't stick with me nearly as much as the first. Kind of a personal preference thing sadly. #5. Spiderman 2. Gameplay is a big step up, story is a huuuuuuge step down for me. I'm genuinely shocked how the same team that made the first game, which was so well-paced and had me feeling for all of the characters, made this story, which just fell so flat due to its horrible pacing and uninteresting characters. But that core gameplay is more fun than ever, so I suppose I can't complain too much.

[@kevandre]

It's really fun that none of the games in our top 10s are the same games. This year just had SO much good content

[@kevandre]

Even more humorous is that my #2 favorite of the year is in your most disappointing list lmfao. Idk what to say, man, Starfield really just did it for me. Like don't get me wrong, it's no mass effect, it has a lot of room to grow, but I love the main story, especially the back half. Such a good time

[@loganmiller7827]

I'm glad that Pikmin 4 resonated with you so well. I was definitely in that camp of having waited for it a long time (for me it was only about 7 or 8 years) and felt like it didn’t quite live up to the wait time. I've described it to people as "good but not great". I personally feel like there are too many fundamental flaws with the way they designed it, and the only that makes it tied with 1 for second best Pikmin game (3 takes the top spot) instead of being 3rd is the fact that the Pikmin AI in 1 is so outrageously bad that it can be extremely difficult to get through sometimes. Also happy to see Octopath 2 get an honorable mention! That's probably what I would put as my number 1 game of the year

[@justinyoung6342]

You mentioned Somerville since it was created by a former founder of Playdead. You probably already know, but just in case you didn't, Cocoon released this year from other former Playdead devs, which might scratch your itch.

[@thetraplord1564]

I think Tears is a superior game to BotW in nearly every way. Still, the time I had with Breath of the Wild was unlike any other I've had with a video game. TotK is very good, but it is derivative in places and the new mechanics weren't enough for me. Between the fan criticisms and Elden Ring and its innovations being far in the rear view mirror, however, I'm sure the developers have plenty to pull from to make the next Zelda a fantastic experience. I want a game that doesn't just win GOTY, but can bring Zelda fans together in saying is great.

[@alibabaschultz352]

Botw is the better game in literally every way

[@CreditR01]

@@alibabaschultz352 Breath is definitely better if you don't care for the shrines and Sheikah slate stuff. All that did was drag down BotW for me, and Tears doubled down on all of it with a derivative and less interesting story. Plus I got really sick of the game using Zelda's suffering as a plot device. Girl's been through enough already.

[@alibabaschultz352]

@@CreditR01 I was talking from an over all design perspective. Botw is a masterpiece. A once in generation work of art. Totk is a weird dubstep remix. Its ok for young people.

[@themoviecritic1092]

​@@alibabaschultz352Every way? I mean, if you say so. People can have differing opinions and I hope you can respect that ofc

[@themoviecritic1092]

​@@CreditR01 I really liked the story this time around. It's no calamity but everything with Zelda and the Dragon's Tear was some really heavy stuff.. at least in my opinion ofc

[@CoNesTra_]

Song from 2:07 to 2:42 is "Story Mode Hub Theme 3" from Super Mario Maker 2.

[@dampflokfreund]

Personally I've been very disappointed by tears of the kingdom. - The sky and depths were fantastic at first, but you quickly realize there's not much unique content there. It repeats itself a lot and they look very same-y in my opinion. The majority of quests involve just delivering green orb from place A to place B or fight the same construct boss over and over again. - The dungeons look different from each other which is a step up from BOTW; but ultimately, they were just divine beasts in a different coating. They even have the same 4-5 terminal system from BOTW. - The story was pretty inconsistent. It was clearly meant to be told in a linear way like older Zelda games but they were still using the memory structure from BOTW (which I found to be very disappointing) so you can easily spoil yourself major plot points. Not getting to play the interesting parts of the story is big letdown to me. Plus, there's repeated cutscenes like the ones after the temples (Demon king? Secret stone?) and some plot holes. The lack of continuity with BOTW was also disappointing, like what happened with the shiekah technology or why do some NPCs remember Link and some don't? - The overworld just didn't change enough in my opinion. Like you just have one new town. The caves were a neat addition, but IDK, I felt letdown by them as well. They feel same-y as well, but atleast they have different biomes. - The shrines are still looking the same, one of my big letdowns with BOTW was not being addressed here. I would really have liked more variety. - You still search for koroks, some even hiding in the same spots. And some places in the overworld do not have any purpose now as Kass has been removed. - There's a lot of reused music. Like the cold theme which got old in BOTW quickly. And there are still no tracks for certain parts of the overworld. The solitude themes from BOTW didn't quite fit TOTK anymore. All in all, I can agree with your sentiment "Too little, too late". It didn't improve as much upon BOTW was I would have liked. Honestly speaking, it's been my biggest disappointment in quite a long time. I will say though, some aspects of it were pretty cool. Like the ascends to the dungeons, mainly the Wind Temple. That was awesome. The linear beginning was great and the final boss fight was amazing. But sadly, the negative points far outweight the good ones for me. I'm curious to hear your opinion about the game, Arlo.

[@JDEdwards2331]

I must say - that Ray Con ad was terrific. I'll go watch the rest of the video now.

[@Garbear0119]

Great year for games!

[@ignorethischannel2161]

I’m glad you still like totk even though you haven’t beat it yet. I’ll be interested to see how you do ultimately feel after you finish it.

[@the1doctorwhat]

Octopath 2 was one of my favorites this year, have mixed feelings on the secret boss since I had to grind for a week to beat it, which made the final boss a cakewalk.

[@shatter_blast]

I feel as if the biggest issue with tears of the kingdom is its difficulty. Its not a Mario easy and there are still many challenging bits but its just at that edge of a Fromsoft game where you can still easily take out enemies with ease but are always wanting that enemy that will kill you and contine to keep killing you but never getting that